Van Loggerenberg new releases

With many of South Africa’s winemakers now releasing their 2022 wines, it seems the recent pattern of odd vintages exceeding the quality of their even counterparts has finely been broken – 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021 generally produced highly collectible whereas 2016, 2018 and 2020 tended to result in wines better suited to earlier drinking. The wines from 2022, however, may not exactly be one for the ages but it has resulted in wines that have generosity without entirely sacrificing structure that should please many.

Lukas van Loggerenberg says that in 2022 a cool pre-season slowed down ripening and patience was needed to avoid picking too early. The result, broadly speaking, is less drive but more succulence of fruit. Tasting notes and ratings as follows: 

Trust Your Gut Chenin Blanc 2022
Price: R370
61% of grapes from Paardeberg, 39% from Polkadraai Hills. Matured for 10 months in third-fill 500-litre barrels. A faint note of reduction before pear, peach and citrus on the nose while the palate shows great fruit purity, electric acidity and a savoury, very dry finish. Tense and rather thrilling. Alc: 12.3%.

CE’s rating: 96/100.

Kameraderie Chenin Blanc 2022
Price: R535
Grapes from two Paardeberg vineyards, one planted in 1966 and the other in 1980, the older vineyard fermented and matured for 10 months in concrete tank, the younger in 500-litre barrels. Complex aromatics of peach, nectarine and naartjie plus thatch, spice and a slight leesy note. The palate has dense fruit and moderate acidity before a bone-dry finish. Marginally more breadth than its counterpart above but not short of structure and well honed.

CE’s rating: 95/100.

Geronimo Cinsaut 2022
Price: R325
Grapes from Firgrove, predominantly from a vineyard planted in 1978. 40% whole-bunch fermentation, before nine months of maturation in older French oak barrels. Evocative aromatics of red and black berries, rose, fynbos, spearmint, a hint of pomegranate and spice. The palate shows great fruit purity, bright acidity and crunchy tannins. Vivid and energetic with a savoury finish. Alc: 12.7%.

CE’s rating: 95/100.

Lötter Cinsaut 2022
Price: R535
Grapes from the second oldest red wine vineyard in the country, the vineyard planted by Koos Lötter on his Franschhoek farm. 100% destemmed. Maturation lasted 10 months in second- and third-fill French oak. Black cherry, lavender, tea leaf, fresh herbs and a slight musky quality on the nose while the palate has nice roundness about it – ripe fruit, bright acidity and silky tannins. Alc: 13.2%.

CE’s rating: 94/100.

Breton Cabernet Franc 2022
Price: R400
Grapes from Polkadraai Hills and nearby. 25% whole-bunch fermented. Matured for 10 months in older oak. Plum, cherry, floral perfume, dried herbs, earth and pencil shavings on the nose while the palate is juicy and fresh with very fine tannins making for a cashmere-like texture. Relatively light and vibrant with a super-dry finish. Alc: 13.3%.

CE’s rating: 94/100.

High Hopes 2022
Price: R325
88% Syrah, 9% Grenache and 3% Cinsaut from Swartland vineyards, the former undergoing 30% whole-bunch fermentation before maturation lasting 11 months in 500-litre barrels, the latter two in barrique. Predominantly red berries plus traces of floral perfume, fynbos, pepper and spice. The palate is light-bodied with fruit to the fore, lemon-like acidity and powdery tannins. Already wonderfully approachable. Alc: 13.5%.

CE’s rating: 93/100.

Graft Syrah 2022
Price: R670
Grapes from the fabled Karibib property in Polkadraai Hills. 100% whole-bunch fermented. Matured in a combination of barrel and concrete tank for 10 months. Super-complex aromatics of red and black berries, potpourri, dried herbs and white pepper. The palate is medium bodied with fresh acidity and powdery tannins. As with many wines from 2022, this wine doesn’t have the same fruit density as the previous vintage and is already quite open – hugely pleasurable all the same. Abv: 14%.

CE’s rating: 95/100.

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